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Broadcasting Commission

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About the Commission

 

What Does the Commission Do? | What the Broadcasting Commission Does Not Do | Complaints

Functions of the Commission | Commissioners | Work of the Commission

What the Broadcasting Commission Does Not Do

 

  • The Commission does not grant licences

    Authority to grant licences is vested solely in the Minister of Information. Applications for licences are made to the Minister through the Commission.

  • The Commission does not set subscription fees for cable TV services

    In Jamaica’s liberalised market, providers of cable programming, like other business owners, are free to decide how much to charge for their services.

  • The Commission does not determine, assign or specify areas to which cable operators should provide service

    Cable operators, just like other persons wishing to operate electronic media services, decide which areas they wish to serve and make the appropriate application to the Minister of Information through the Commission.

  • The Commission does not issue frequencies

    The Spectrum Management Authority, which manages the spectrum, assigns frequencies. However, the Commission, as the need arises, consults with this body on spectrum use by broadcasters.

  • The Commission does not dictate or censor programming of radio or television services

    The Commission does not tell licensees what type or format of programme to air, or what should be the subject, topic, theme or focus of any programme or its content. Licensed broadcast radio and TV services are expected to screen the material that goes into their own programming, with knowledge of the laws specifying types of illegal content. The same types of legal restrictions on content are also applicable to cable TV, which, in addition, is prevented from showing adult programming outside of the timeband 11:00p.m. to 4:00a.m.

    The Commission will however remind licensees of the law where it has evidence that illegal material has been broadcast and request that the licensee take remedial action which may include:

    • Putting in place measures to prevent recurrence of such illegal transmission.
    • Broadcast of an apology for the illegal transmission.

  • The Commission does not make laws

    Parliament is the only body that can make laws. The Commission may contribute to the process by which laws are passed by responding to proposed policy or making independent submissions on matters relating to the operation of electronic mass media to the Minister of Information. Persons who have difficulty with some aspect of the law are encouraged by the Commission to also make their views known to the media policy formulators, the Information Division of the Office of the Prime Minister.

  • The Commission's Sources of Funding

    The Commission is funded by fees associated with regulation.

    Applicants seeking to provide radio and television services pay a fee when they are awarded a licence. Companies that are awarded STV licences also pay fees of five per cent of the annual income from subscribers.